


Someday

by Madame_Kiksters



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Angst, Chapter 88, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Souko crushing on Reiko, but of course, ya girl don't recognize it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 17:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20295583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Kiksters/pseuds/Madame_Kiksters
Summary: It was only supposed to be a way to pass the time. Reiko never intended to lose. She underestimated the determination of her opponent._____“My name…” Reiko began, the wind coming from behind her, making a chill run up her back and a few locks of her hair float around her. “It’s Natsume Reiko.”It took Souko a moment to process the significance of what she’d heard. For once, Reiko wished Souko wasn’t quite so expressive.The other girl took a step back. “No.” She shook her head, “That’s not… that can’t be right.”NatsuYuu Summer Big Bang 2019





	Someday

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello! I would like to thank the lovely [Raichana](https://raichana.tumblr.com/) for her beautiful work in this fic. Feel free to shower her with your affections (I've linked her Tumblr to her name).
> 
> I hope you guys like this! I love Reiko and Souko together and was really bummed about the canon events v.v

It was a nice, sunny afternoon. One that was perfect for napping in Reiko’s opinion. Well… it would have been perfect if it weren’t for the youkai’s seemingly endless chatter around her.

“Noisy.” She grunted, having turned over for the fifth or sixth time in an attempt to block the sound of the youkai talking. She sat up with a yawn, dusting her long, blonde hair to remove any lingering grass blades before standing and doing the same for her skirt.

It was only because they kept fussing that she’d decided to investigate, she told herself, and not because she’d caught the words ‘human child’. It wasn’t too far down the forgotten path when she found a girl sitting at the top of a stone stairway. Her short, light brown hair shifted with every breeze and drew Reiko’s eyes to the sailor-style collar of her school uniform.

Reiko shifted her weight to one foot with a hand on her hip before calling out, “Hey, you.”

The stranger flinched before twisting around, her hair nearly whipping into her wide, grey eyes and gaping mouth.

“I thought it was getting rather noisy around here.” Reiko lifted a single eyebrow. “What are you doing in the middle of the forest?”

“Uh… I-I’m sorry? I didn’t mean to be a bother. I was only reading, I didn’t think-”

Reiko waved away her apology. “You weren’t the one making the noise.” The girl tilted her head, but if she thought what Reiko said was odd, she didn’t comment. “At any rate, I’m sorry for startling you but you really shouldn’t be out in the forest alone like this. Go home, it’s not safe.” She turned to leave, throwing a casual farewell over her shoulder but only made it a few steps before her arm was caught.

“Wait!”

Reiko looked back, her arm still in the girl’s grip, “What? Are you lost?” It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to escort someone out of the woods.

“N-no, it’s just…” the stranger took a deep breath and when she met Reiko’s gaze again her eyes had turned into unwavering steel. “If it’s okay with you I’d like you to stay so we could talk. I just moved here, and I don’t have anyone I can really talk to yet…”

Reiko felt a smile slip, admiring the straightforward honesty of the girl before her, before she schooled her expression. “No. Now go home.”

“Ah,” the girl’s face fell, crestfallen. “…sorry I bothered you, then.”

Reiko acknowledged her with a nod before making a hasty departure. Hoping the girl would stay out of the forest before getting herself hurt.

_____

The stranger returned the following day, regardless of Reiko’s warning. Like a hornets’ nest, the youkai’s buzzing increased in volume the moment they’d noticed her return.

As she made her way to the stone steps from the day before, Reiko told herself it was because the girl didn’t belong out here and needed to leave.

Like Reiko had anticipated, the girl was sitting in the same spot. She paused a few steps away, watching the girl flip a page of the book in her lap before calling out to her. “You again?”

The stranger whipped around before standing so suddenly that the bag in her lap fell, tumbling down the last few steps. “Ah! I’m glad I could see you again!”

She recovered her bag before rummaging around inside. When she pulled her hand free it was to reveal Reiko’s school badge. “Sorry about intruding again. I wanted to return this to you.”

Reiko accepted the badge, recalling when she might have lost it. She determined the badge had likely gotten loose when the other girl had grabbed her arm to stop her yesterday.

“You’re a kind person.” Reiko remarked. “This might not have even been mine and yet you still came out here hoping to find me.” She met the stranger’s suddenly worried eyes, “Thank you.”

The apprehension melted from the other’s eyes and the corners of her mouth quirked up into a smile that made Reiko feel the smallest bit of reluctance to part ways so soon. However, it wasn’t enough to make her act on those feelings.

She turned away, throwing a casual, “bye” over her shoulder, and began walking back up the path.

“Right… goodbye.” Reiko did her best to ignore the stranger’s disappointed tone.

_____

**“That girl has come again.”**

When Reiko turned, she was met with a pair of huge fisheyes peeking over the hedges. The spirit looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where she’d seen it.

Before she could respond, the spirit ducked behind the bushes, the foliage somehow managing to completely hide it despite its large size.

She waited to see if it would emerge from hiding before she decided to make her way to a now-familiar set of stone steps.

Like before, the girl was sitting with her head down, likely reading. The scene was set much like their other encounters. The only difference being the small cluster of youkai gathered around the stranger’s feet watching her.

“What are you doing?” The sound of her voice made the spirits run off in terror.

The girl twisted her torso to face her, revealing that she had indeed been reading before Reiko’s appearance. She appeared slightly less nervous than the first two times they’d met.

“Ah! Sorry. It’s just that I’m still not used to my house so I’ve been looking for somewhere I could spend to keep me outside…” she began to nervously fiddle with the pages of her book, “but I don’t really fit in at school, so I don’t have any friends to spend time with. I decided here would be about as good a place as any.” She gestured around them, “It’s nice and sunny and the steps aren’t too uncomfortable…”, she cut herself off with a gasp. “I’m rambling. Sorry.”

Reiko took a moment to consider the girl in front of her, noticing the youkai that crept along the edge of the path waiting for her departure before they’d likely swarm the girl again, before her mind was made up. “You don’t have to apologize. It’s not like the forest is mine. In fact, I’m seen as a nuisance around here too.”

“What?”

Reiko ignored the other, choosing instead to cast her gaze to where the sky met the gently swaying treetops. “I’m also quite fond of this forest. As you said, it’s nice and sunny, perfect for taking naps.”

“Uhh…”

She returned her gaze to the other. “You said you were looking to kill an hour? I’m going to take a nap. Wake me up before you go home.” She shifted until she was laying on her side facing away from the stranger, shooting the youkai a glare that sent them running before she closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”

There was a long silence before the sound of pages rustling and a soft, pleased, “Thank you,” was heard.

_____

Reiko couldn’t say she found it annoying to meet up with the stranger every day. It wasn’t any trouble for her to grab a nap and the other was quiet enough. It was surprising that she hadn’t made any further attempt at conversation, but Reiko wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Hey…”

Reiko inwardly cursed herself for even the slightest bemusement about the girl’s silence.

Unaware of Reiko’s newfound turmoil, the stranger continued, “I just realized, we never told each other our names. Mine’s Souko. ‘Sou’ as in blue and ‘Ko’ as in child. Morinaga Souko.” She hesitated, likely waiting to see if Reiko was going to offer her own name. “What’s yours?”

She answered without opening her eyes, “You don’t need to know that.”

Reiko cracked her eyes open when she realized the sound of pages turning had stopped. The girl… Souko, was staring down at the book in her lap, her grey eyes glazed and unseeing.

Something festered in Reiko’s chest until she let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m-” the sound of her stomach cut her off, drawing Souko’s attention to her.

“Are you hungry?” Souko’s eyes widened before she began rifling through her bag. “I think I might have some candy. Give me a second.” When she pulled the blue candy out, she held it in her hand rather than immediately offering it. Reiko felt herself growing suspicious.

Her worries were confirmed when Souko turned with that same steely gaze she’d get when she refused to back down, as Reiko was rapidly discovering. “How about we have some kind of duel?”

Reiko felt her mind reeling at the sudden turn. “Huh?”

“If you win, I’ll give you this candy. But if _I_ win, could you tell me your name?” A breeze lifted Souko’s hair away from her face, letting the sun glint off her eyes, turning them silver. Reiko found her breath stolen.

She recovered a beat later and felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. “What a strange person… very well. I was getting bored only napping anyway. Be warned, I have no intention of losing.”

Souko grinned. “Great! Then uhh…” She looked around before pointing at a stone in the field a short distance from them. “I got it! We’ll both throw rocks at the triangle mark on that stone over there. Whoever hits closest wins! Is that okay?”

Reiko nodded, stooping down to pick up a pair of rocks before offering them for Souko to pick which one she wanted.

“I’ll go first!” Souko announced, pulling her arm back before throwing the rock with all her might… the rock sailed clear over the stone. “I can’t believe I missed _that_ badly!”

Reiko laughed at her dismay, finding Souko’s competitive nature oddly charming. “My turn.”

Unfortunately, Reiko had more practice than Souko and her rock struck near the center of the stone’s triangular mark.

“Whoa!”

Reiko turned to find the other girl staring at her in wonder. “I won.”

Souko’s body slumped with a resigned sigh before she dug the candy from her bag and offered it to Reiko. “Here’s your candy.”

Reiko accepted her winnings with a smile. “Thank you, Souko.”

At the use of her name, the other girl smiled so brightly it nearly hurt Reiko’s eyes. She hurriedly ate the candy before bidding the other girl farewell.

“I won’t lose tomorrow!”

_T-tomorrow? _Reiko felt her eyes widen, watching Souko make a mad dash down the steps and presumably toward her home, giggling the entire way.

“Huh? Wait a minute!” Reiko’s calls were ignored.

_____

Tomorrow came and went, as well as the next day, and the day after. Without fail, Souko could be found seated on what Reiko assumed had become her favorite spot.

Rock, paper, scissors. Cards. Hitting targets. _Shogi_. There was no shortage of competitions Souko could come up with. It was almost a relief to have a simple race that Reiko found herself wondering why Souko hadn’t challenged her to one earlier.

She got her answer soon enough.

_____

She made it to the tree they’d deemed the goal mere seconds before Souko and it wasn’t until she turned around that she discovered the other girl curled into herself trying to frantically catch her breath.

Her concern was only slightly diminished when Souko smiled up at her, “I was so close.” She panted.

Reiko chuckled breathlessly. “You’re surprisingly quick on your feet.”

“I was a pretty fast runner when I was younger, you know?” She was still breathing heavily, like she couldn’t get enough air. Her skin was pale rather than flushed like it should have been.

Alarm bells were going off in Reiko’s mind. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine… haa… I’m usually okay doing this much.” She swallowed. “I must’ve tried too hard…”

Reiko silently watched the other girl slowly catch her breath. “We’ve had quite a lot of duels these past few days… but your body isn’t all that strong is it?” Suddenly it all made sense. Why Souko wanted to be out of the house, why she didn’t fit in at school, why she was new in town. “You’re here to spend time in the countryside to try and recover.” She guessed.

She took Souko’s silence as confirmation.

“If you push yourself too hard, I will be troubled.”

The other girl was faring better, but her breathing had yet to slow to its normal rate. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean for this to happen. I… I’m sorry.”

Reiko watched the other’s eyes begin to shine with frustrated tears, but felt her own resolve strengthen. “We’re done with dueling today. Rest for a while. It’s my turn to wake _you_ up.”

Souko reclined on the grass, hand on her chest as if to help her recover quicker. “Thank you.”

Reiko sat beside her, watching the grass sway in the breeze and ignoring the curious gazes lurking from behind the shrubbery.

“You know… since we’ve been playing together like this, I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve even started getting used to my new home and started speaking to my classmates a little. My family… they’re planning to plant some flowers in the garden of our new house. I wonder what flowers would be good?” Souko’s speech was getting softer and more slurred as she edged closer to sleep, “If you’d like… someday you could come to my garden and we could play there.”

Though Reiko remained silent, her thoughts were a mess. She’d firmly believed she’d lost hope in making a friend, especially another human. She couldn’t deny that there was something special about Souko. Rather, Souko had somehow become someone special _to her_ without her noticing during the time they’d known each other.

She joined Souko in lying on the grass, stretching out with her arms tucked behind her head. She peeked to her side to find Souko quietly dozing before returning her gaze to the sky.

“Flowers, huh…” She mused, the words sparking her memory. “Deep in this forest there’s an open field full of blooming flowers… someday…” she swallowed her offer. Too afraid to allow someone else into her private space, even if her invitation would have been to sleep-deafened ears. Reiko felt her heart sink into her stomach as if it were made of lead and cursed herself for being a coward.

_____

The next day, Souko appeared to be faring much better than she had the day before. But when Souko suggested they have another competition Reiko declined in favor of having a nap.

The other girl stood with her hands clutching her bag while Reiko relaxed against the grass.

With a hand behind her head, Reiko patted the space next to her on the ground with a teasing grin. “Today’s a nice day for enjoying the view, don’t you think?”

Souko stilled before giggling and joining Reiko on the grass, her hands resting on her stomach and legs crossed at the ankles.

There was an easy quiet between them. Reiko found herself lulled into a tranquil peace. A peace that was interrupted when Souko pointed to the sky and asked if Reiko also saw the cute bunny among the clouds.

Cracking open a golden eye, Reiko glanced at Souko’s grinning face before following the direction of her pointed finger until she saw the misshapen fluff Souko was pointing out. She supposed it might have looked like a rabbit. The appropriate appendages were all there. Four legs, two ears, and a lump at the end indicating a tail… however the placement of those appendages made it difficult to confidently call it a rabbit.

“I suppose.” Reiko offered.

Souko scoffed. “_Suppose_.” She mocked playfully. “It looks _exactly_ like the one my cousin had when we were kids!”

“I feel very sorry for your cousin’s rabbit, then.”

Souko was quiet for a moment before she laughed. “Alright, alright. It does look…. Sort of wonky.”

Reiko didn’t say anything, but Souko must have heard her unspoken ‘_I didn’t want to have to tell you.’_, because the next thing she said was, “Well, _you_ find something then.”

“Don’t you think you’re the one that needs more practice?” Reiko asked, her eyes having fallen closed once more during their argument about the not-quite-a-rabbit cloud.

“Why don’t you show me how it’s done… wait a minute.” Clothes and grass rustling alerted Reiko to the fact that Souko had sat up and turned to face her. “I’ve got a great idea!”

Reiko opened her eyes, feeling a sense of dread at the other girl’s tone.

There was no surprise when Souko suggested they make a competition out of who could see the most recognizable shapes in the clouds.

With a sigh, Reiko relented.

As always, she won.

_____

In the following days, Reiko continued to find her new friend waiting for her, and wasn’t that an odd thing to admit to herself? It made her heart flutter at the thought, even if she’d never have the courage to ask Souko if she considered Reiko a friend. It didn’t matter. Souko was Reiko’s friend, and that was enough. Even if the same wasn’t true for the other girl.

_____

Sometimes, when Reiko found her friend, Souko would be sitting with her back hunched, almost as if she were sad. Reiko took extra care to make sure Souko left with a smile on those days. And restrained herself from asking if anything was troubling her.

_____

Souko wasn’t improving. Reiko had found her slumped over once more, but it had taken her a few times of calling the other’s name before she responded, almost as if waking from a trance.

“Ah. Sorry, didn’t see you there.”

_‘I’ve been calling your name for nearly a minute now.’_ Reiko didn’t say. Because she never tried to pry if she could help it. It was much better to tactfully avoid problems until they went away, in her experience.

“What did you have in mind for today?” Reiko asked instead.

Souko shook her head. “Nothing at the moment. I’ve been feeling out of sorts lately. I have a feeling you won’t mind too much if we just… sit here for a minute or two?”

Reiko nodded, making her way over to join the other on the stone steps. She felt her heart rate pick up and her throat constrict. She wanted to ask, and yet she didn’t. She went back and forth in her mind, the palms of her hands began to dampen the fabric of her skirt. She knew she needed to ask. Souko’s mood had never affected their time here. Whatever was troubling her was something that apparently _couldn’t_ be left behind for another day.

She could do it. She _had_ to.

Reiko swallowed thickly, steeling herself.

She opened her mouth, readying to speak-

“By the way,” Souko announced before Reiko could speak, “I found someone at school I could finally talk to.”

Reiko felt herself deflate. “Oh, really?” She asked weakly.

Souko nodded absently, a distant smile. “She was telling me about the local legends. Stories of spirits in the forest. Apparently, there’s a really nasty one in the swamp too.”

Reiko hummed to show she was still listening.

“She also said… that there was a really violent girl in the neighboring town and said I shouldn’t go there.”

Reiko didn’t want to ask, but she felt like she had to know. “Did she say the girl’s name?”

Souko blinked, almost like she was trying to think through a fog. “I believe it was Natsume Reiko.”

“I see.”

Reiko felt her heart closing off, preparing itself to lose yet another good thing in her life. She didn’t know why she expected this to go any differently.

They sat in a tense silence… well it was tense for Reiko, as she wondered if Souko had somehow managed to piece together her identity. She wasn’t sure if Souko noticed or not.

Perhaps she might have, even through her fog, because Souko eventually suggested that they have another competition. She seemed genuinely excited, even if a little tired, and Reiko didn’t want to reject the offer for fear of burning the last bridge she felt she and Souko had at the moment.

“What did you have in mind?”

The other girl sent Reiko a short-lived, cheeky grin, and led her to the rock they’d used for the first competition. “Same rules. Throw a rock and hit the mark. Whoever’s closest wins.”

Reiko would have smiled, but her nerves were so frayed she worried she might begin to cry if she let herself feel anything. “Very well.”

Souko picked up two rocks and offered one to Reiko. “You can go first this time.”

Reiko nodded stiffly before winding her arm back and preparing her throw.

_Is this some sort of poetic end? To end the way we began? If I win, what then? Does she plan to let me continue to hide my identity? Or is she planning to tell me she knows despite the results of this competition? Is she planning to tell me that we’re no longer… friends? That we never were…_

Reiko threw the stone and missed the dent completely, though she didn’t fail quite so terribly that she missed the rock entirely like Souko had so long ago.

Unaware of Reiko’s inner turmoil, Souko took her turn.

The stone struck the dent almost near the center. Souko had won.

The other girl turned around to face Reiko, a bright smile across her face. “Looks like it’s my win today!”

Reiko wasn’t ready.

“And with that, I believe I’ve earned the pleasure of learning your name.”

Something on her face must have reflected how she’d closed herself off to what was about to happen.

“You okay?” Souko asked.

Perhaps she really hadn’t known who she was meeting with in the forest all this time, Reiko thought. The thought didn’t soothe her. If anything, it made what she was going to have to do next somehow worse.

Souko seemed more awake than she’d been in days, concern making her eyes cloud with worry.

“My name…” Reiko began, the wind coming from behind her, making a chill run up her back and a few locks of her hair float around her. “It’s Natsume Reiko.”

It took Souko a moment to process the significance of what she’d heard. It was interesting to watch her confusion morph into elation before it was chased away by the memory of what she’d learned about that name. For once, Reiko wished Souko wasn’t quite so expressive.

The other girl took a step back. “No.” She shook her head, “That’s not… that can’t be right.”

Reiko felt herself closing off entirely, her shoulders squared themselves, and her chin lifted so she could look down at Souko. Any words to reassure the other girl were locked tight in her chest, blocked from coming up her throat.

She wasn’t sure if it would have caused a different outcome. If she’d been able to say something. Anything. _‘You don’t have to be scared.’ _Or perhaps it might have been a defensive _‘Do you honestly believe I’d hurt you?’_ She was lost in her disbelief and betrayal much the same way Souko appeared to be.

But before she could come up with anything to say. Before she could defend herself or play it off as some sort of cruel joke, Souko turned and fled.

Reiko waited until the sun was near setting to see if Souko would return.

She didn’t.

_____

The next day, the roles were switched. Reiko sat hunched over on the steps, waiting for Souko.

…and waiting.

Her mind was empty apart from the aborted worries of whether Souko was going to come… whether she should go _looking_ for Souko.

The crows were cawing, and the sun was setting when Reiko finally stood to leave.

Perhaps Souko needed time to process what she’d learned the day before? It was just as well; Reiko didn’t know what she would say upon meeting Souko again either.

She decided she’d try again the next day.

_____

Another day had passed. She’d even arrived early because it was a weekend. Not wanting to even have the chance that she’d somehow miss Souko… but she never showed.

Souko wasn’t coming back.

So, neither would Reiko.

She mentally resolved that she’d visit her secret place to see the flowers on her own once more before she left. It would be a shame not to see it when she’d waited all this time trying to work up the courage to share it with someone else.

It didn’t take too long until she’d entered the field. The blue of the flowers made it seem lonelier than it had the first time she was here. It was funny how a color that had made her feel calm before was now almost unbearable to witness.

The sound of rustling leaves had Reiko spinning around, scooping up a stick for defense.

It was the same youkai from before. It’s too-large eyes were staring at her with a mixture of confusion and worry.

Her hand tightened around the stick in her hand, regardless of the fact it would almost certainly snap before it could deal any sort of damage.

“I thought you wanted to admire this field with the other human?”

Reiko huffed. “A beautiful thing is still beautiful no matter who you’re with.”

The spirit regarded her with its blank stare for a moment before it approached, slowly coming to stand beside her to stare out at the field before them.

Perhaps it was her vulnerability, but she felt a sense of comradery with the spirit next to her. She may not have gotten to share her discovery with her fri-… with Souko, but the spirit beside her was good enough.

Her mind whispered that spending time with this strange youkai was nowhere near as satisfying as it had been with Souko… she put a stop to those thoughts soon after they entered her brain.

“Would you like to have a duel?” She asked in a spur of the moment decision, hoping to chase the painful thoughts of Souko from her mind. “Duels are fun.”

The youkai tilted its head and paused before answering. “Very well… what are the rewards for this duel?”

Reiko felt a ghost of a smile tug at her lips. “If I win, you have to write your name on a piece of paper. If you win, you get to eat me.” she joked, noting how the spirit recoiled as if in disgust. “Are you ready?”

“How are we to duel?”

_____

Soranome. That was the spirit’s name. She went to fold the paper and watched as the youkai contorted itself almost as if it were in pain. It was then that she learned that if the paper was damaged, the same would happen to the youkai.

It was an odd thought, that something so innocent could be a source of pain, Though, it was a relatable experience if Reiko admitted it to herself. When she turned to leave, the spirit spoke once more.

“The other human… it’s sick and can’t leave.”

Reiko turned back to find the youkai watching her. “I went into the human village yesterday when it didn’t show. I found it lying in a bed.”

“Why are you telling me this? What’s in it for you?”

The spirit made no further movement, its expression didn’t change, but the aura around it seemed as confused as Reiko about its actions.

It disappeared without preamble and Reiko was left standing in the field of blue flowers alone once more.

Souko was sick.

The information made her recall the last few encounters she’d had with Souko. The haze she’d appeared to perpetually suffer from.

Why didn’t she say anything? Reiko asked herself that among other things on her way towards Souko’s town. Hoping she wasn’t reaching out to be burned. That she wouldn’t be turned away at the door. That Souko would have worked past her anxiety. Perhaps most importantly, that she wasn’t too gravely ill.

_____

Souko’s neighborhood was a bit busier than Reiko was accustomed to. It slowed her down a bit when she forced herself to walk the last stretch. If the streets had been empty, she might have felt a bit more comfortable running through them, but the people cluttering the sidewalk prevented her from doing so.

Learning where Souko’s family lived wasn’t too difficult after threatening some low-level youkai into revealing what they knew. She found her thoughts veering toward all of the terrible things that could have happened to Souko when she reached the girl’s house. At least, she hoped it was her house. The Morinaga nameplate was a very promising indicator that the youkai she’d questioned hadn’t lied to her.

She knocked on the door a few times before settling in to wait.

It wasn’t too long after that a kindly-looking woman opened the door. It was clear from the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth that she loved to laugh. The aura she radiated set Reiko’s heart at ease.

“Can I help you?”

Reiko’s mouth opened and closed uselessly for a moment before she collected herself.

“Yes, I’m looking for Morinaga Souko. Is this her address?”

The woman’s eyes widened slightly. “Are you a friend of hers?”

Reiko nodded hesitantly. While she considered Souko to be her friend, that didn’t necessarily mean that she was anything more to Souko than some odd girl in the forest. Some small voice in the back of her mind called her a liar and knew damn well that she was only being too cowardly to confront her feelings in the event Souko had decided not to associate with her after learning her identity. That voice could be quiet, in Reiko’s opinion.

Ignorant of Reiko’s inner turmoil, the woman clasped her hands together in delight. “Wonderful! I was worried Souko hadn’t been making any friends, but you’re here and... oh, sorry. I’m rambling. Did you want to come inside?”

“Yes.” There was a beat before Reiko added, “Thank you.” She hoped it wasn’t too noticeable.

She was led inside and to a room on the first floor. “Sometimes on her worse days she struggles with exertion so. When we moved here we made sure she wouldn’t have to climb the stairs to get to her room.” The woman, who Reiko was almost positive was Souko’s mother, explained while they walked.

The woman knocked quietly, whispering, “She’s been sleeping a lot the past few days, poor thing.”

“Yes?” Souko’s voice answered, muffled through the door.

“Your friend came to check on you. Do you feel up for visiting?”

There was the sound of shifting fabric before footsteps hurried to the door. It opened to reveal Souko still in her sleep clothes. Grey eyes widened at the sight of her. “You?”

Reiko felt her chest fill with ice, the pain sharp and stabbing. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so presumptuous to assume Souko might still want to see her?

Before she could spiral further, Reiko found her left hand grabbed by Souko’s cool, clammy ones.

“I’d like to apologize for my sudden departure the other day! I didn’t mean to make you feel- I mean, I was surprised at first and I meant to apologize the next day but my health declined and it was difficult for me to even walk around my house without needing to catch my breath let alone making the trek to our spot and…” she broke off with a body-racking cough that had her mother and Reiko both taking a step toward her in concern, her hand tightened around Reiko’s.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” She assured when she’d recovered from the fit, still panting. When she began again, it was much calmer. “I was lying here these past few days replaying our last conversation and imagining how that must have made you feel.” She squeezed Reiko’s hand with a watery smile. “I was a bad friend… and for that I’m sorry.”

Reiko wasn’t sure what expression she was wearing, but her confusion must have been comical because Souko giggled.

“I… no. You were surprised. I was more worried you wouldn’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

Souko spluttered incomprehensible nonsense.

“I don’t… mean to be nosey. But what’s happened?” Souko looked back to her mother in surprise, apparently having forgotten she was there.

“It’s a long story. I guess the easiest way to describe it would be that I let rumors affect my own opinions of my friend.”

Her mother’s hands went to her hips and her tone made even Reiko feel chastised when she said her daughter’s name, “Souko…”

“I know, mom! That’s why I apologized. It was silly of me to do that and hurt my friend.”

Souko’s mother continued to give her daughter a stern look for a moment longer before she relented with a grin. “You’ve realized what you’ve done wrong and apologized, so I won’t be giving you a lecture just yet.” She looked between her daughter and Reiko. “I trust you two will be fine if I leave you to talk now?”

Both Morinagas turned to look at Reiko and she found herself pinned by two pairs of hopeful, grey eyes. She was helpless to do anything more than nod.

“Excellent. Would you like any tea… I’m sorry. I never caught your name?”

“Reiko.” Souko answered, giving the other girl a proud grin.

Without missing a beat, her mother continued, “Well then, Reiko, would you like some tea?”

“I’m fine. Thank you.” Reiko was proud to admit there was less of a pause that time.

Souko’s mother nodded before leaving the two of them with a grin.

“Sorry about that.” Souko apologized once her mother was far enough away and her door was shut. “You looked like you were overwhelmed during that entire conversation.”

“It was… a lot. But not unpleasant. Your mother is a very kind person.” Souko smiled at Reiko’s words. “Like you.”

Souko’s cheeks pinked. “Ah. No, I’m not. I hurt you with my thoughtlessness and-”

“Souko,” Reiko waited for Souko to meet her gaze before continuing, “do you still consider us friends?”

“Yes! Of course!”

Reiko found her eyes closing from how wide she was smiling and heard Souko’s breath catch. “Then that’s enough for me.”

When she opened her eyes, it was to find Souko’s own eyes suddenly watery.

Alarmed, Reiko reached out to the other girl. Whether that was to offer comfort or check her for injuries she wasn’t able to determine before Souko was speaking, voice thick with emotion.

“Would it… be alright if I hugged you right now?”

Reiko’s head craned back from the sudden request. “Alright?”

The moment she’d agreed, Souko’s arms were wrapped around her. It was odd… but not unwelcome. Reiko’s hands hesitantly lifted to return the gesture.

Hugging Souko was nice, Reiko decided when she felt the other girl relax in her arms.

_____

Reiko visited every day after that until Souko had recovered enough to venture out. In that time: she’d met Souko’s equally as kind father, been invited to have dinner with them one day in the future, and had been made to promise that she’d visit even when Souko wasn’t sick.

After nearly a week, Reiko invited Souko to the flower field with her. The trek had been filled with a companionable silence or small talk about their day. Reiko had slowly been offering more of herself to the other girl. Where before Souko had been the one to keep the conversation going, Reiko would sometimes fill the quiet. Now actively participating in conversation whereas before she was mostly listening.

Their relationship had shifted. It was easy between them, with no expectations or judgements. There was only the offer of friendship that was mutually accepted by both parties.

It was wonderful except… Souko still didn’t know about the things Reiko saw.

The knowledge was a hideous wall between them. She wasn’t sure if Souko felt it, but every time she would see a youkai on their trail or off in the distance, she’d be reminded. She’d almost broken down and explained when Souko nearly stepped on a small youkai on their path. Instead, she’d made up some excuse she couldn’t be bothered to remember for why she’d grabbed the other girl’s arm suddenly to redirect her step.

They reached the field in the late afternoon, having gone after the rain had stopped so that Souko wouldn’t fall ill again. Souko gasped when they finally reached a point in the tree line where the field was finally visible. “It’s beautiful.”

The other girl walked the remaining few steps out into the field, careful not to trample the flowers, before turning in slow circles. Her mouth was agape at all the many shades of blue. The sun glistened off the few remaining raindrops on the blue petals and twinkled around Souko’s ankles.

Souko paused in her amazement to stand on shaky legs. “Oh.” Was all she managed before crumpling to her knees and pressing a hand over her eyes.

Reiko was at her side in an instant, reaching out her hand but stopping before touching the other. “Souko? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes.” She giggled, removing her hand to accept Reiko’s upturned one. “Just made myself a bit dizzy.”

Reiko found herself laughing at the absurdity of it. Relief it wasn’t anything awful multiplied her joy until the force of her laughter had her eyes sliding closed again, making her miss the soft smile Souko sent at her display.

She helped the other girl to her feet and waited until she was steady before releasing her. Or at least trying to.

Souko continued to hold her hand while sending her a nervous look. ‘_Is this okay?’_ She seemed to ask with her eyes.

Reiko was quick to offer a reassuring squeeze that made the other girl positively beam in delight.

“Thank you for sharing this with me.” Souko said suddenly, eyes still on Reiko’s face. “They’re beautiful. Did you know… these are Nemophilas?”

“Nemo-what-now?”

She giggled at Reiko’s confusion. “Nemophilas,” she clarified, “in the flower language they mean ‘I forgive you’. I just think it’s funny after what we went through a few days ago.”

“I don’t know about all that. I just figured you’d appreciate an entire field of blue flowers. Like your name.” Reiko teased.

Souko looked down with a fond grin. “You remembered.” She said, seemingly to herself.

“Listen, I may be forgetful, but I’m not _that _forgetful.”

They shared a laugh before Reiko looked up and caught sight of Soranome admiring the view, her breath catching in her throat.

“Reiko?”

When she looked down, she found Souko watching her with eyes clouded by worry.

“Is something wrong? What did you see?” The other girl turned, trying to catch sight of what might have disturbed Reiko.

Should she take that last step? Reiko felt herself torn. If she revealed this last piece of herself to Souko, would the other girl accept it or not? Maybe… if worse came to worse, Reiko could play it off as an uncharacteristically cruel prank. Souko had expressed interest in the local ghost stories and folklore. She could play it off that way if she took the confession poorly. Reiko wouldn’t be upset, she promised herself. She knew how unbelievable it was herself, so she wouldn’t begrudge Souko if the other didn’t believe her.

“Reiko?”

“I saw…” Reiko steeled herself. “I can see youkai. There was one over there.”

“What was it doing?”

Reiko’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer and found Souko looking around, almost as if trying to catch sight of the spirit.

“It… it was admiring the field. You’re not going to question me?”

Souko looked contemplative for a moment. “I’ve been…” she shook her head and began again, “I’ve always believed that there were spirits. And from the stories… rumors,” she corrected, “I’d suspected you might be able to see them. Earlier when you’d pulled my arm to stop me, claiming it was so I didn’t trip, I wondered if I was about to step on something, but you looked so distant I didn’t want to pry.”

“How do you know I’m not lying?” Reiko challenged, Souko sending her a gentle smile in answer.

“Are you?”

Here it was. The moment of truth, Reiko thought. “I’m not.”

“Then I believe you.” Souko’s grey eyes were so soft in that instant, they almost looked blue, and Reiko was reminded of how truly amazing the other was. She watched those eyes turn playful, curving upwards slightly with Souko’s smile. “You’ll have to tell me about all the fantastic things you’ve seen someday.”

Someday.

Reiko smiled at the unspoken promise that they’d continue to spend their days together.

“Someday.” She promised, cherishing the hopefulness that accompanied the word.

**Author's Note:**

> There we are! I hope you guys liked it! I didn't want to label this as F/F because... there's not really any actual relationship stuff... it was more, Reiko not realizing her feelings. Even if I do believe one day, they'd be together (likely after she hooked up with a dude for a one night stand or something and got pregnant and then Souko confessed her feelings and Reiko's like. Oh. And then they would be together and Reiko would have a kid while they were together...considering making a fic of that if you couldn't tell lmaooo). Anyhoo, yeah. Nothing concrete happened and I didn't want anyone to read this thinking there would be anything and get disappointed, so I left it Gen v.v


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